The demands of the Industry 4.0 go beyond the cost concerns and Yamazaki Mazak is aware of the same. As the tubes and pipes industry gathered for Steelfab Sharjah in Dubai, UAE, Mr. John Jerry, Assistant General Manager – Sales, gave Tube & Pipe India valuable insights on the industry trends and evolution and how Mazak plans to confront the same. With a legacy of over 100 years, the Japanese company promises its customers One-Stop Multitasking Automated Solutions for an enhanced and speedier ROI. Read the conversation below to know about Mazak’s standing and future action plan.
Tube & Pipe India: Could you please give us a brief outline of your business journey and crucial milestones?
John Jerry: Incorporated in 1919, Yamazaki Mazak has been a key player in the tubes and pipes industry for over 100 years. We are a Japanese establishment with a worldwide presence. We manufacture a complete range of CNC metal-cutting machinery. In 1998, we established our Mazak India technology center in Pune. In UAE, as of today since our initial regional venture, we have already installed over 150 machines. We cater to a diversified customer base, such as the oil and gas sector, medical sector, aerospace, semiconductor, die and mold, plastic, general engineering, etc. At Mazak, we offer our customers the best of technology through one-stop solutions for multiple mechanized functions.
TPI: Kindly cast some light on the infrastructure, manufacturing capabilities, and machinery installed at your facilities.
JJ: Since we are a Japanese establishment our primary setup is in Japan, where we have five homegrown manufacturing plants. Under our global expansion plans, we have successfully entered and established ourselves in the American, European, Asian, Oceania, and Middle East markets as well, with a key presence in the USA, UK, China, India, and Singapore. Here, at the UAE facility, we take orders & supply CNC Turning & Integrex, our popular multi tasking machine used in manufacturing 2-6 meter-long tubes used in drilling applications. These machines are systems manufactured in our Japan plants. The Japanese plants meet all the machinery and equipment requirements of Yamazaki Mazak all over the world, including India and UAE.
TPI: What is the manufacturing capability of these machines?
JJ: Our manufacturing capability conforms to our industrial position. In Japan, we are among the top machine tool manufacturers. We have been able to guard our rank in the global market as well. It goes without saying that to defend our market reputation our figurative outputs are humongous.
TPI: Tell us about your product portfolio along with its key strengths and applications.
JJ: Mazak is the answer to all your machinery and equipment requirements in the terms of 2D and 3D machinery. Our overall product line includes over 300 mechanized models which range from large mechanized setups to the small or child parts going in such large setups. We are focused on providing a one-stop solution to our customers. Our machines can handle all the machining operations, Truly an ALL DONE IN ONE machine. Not only do we limit to supply the machine, we also cater to the complete turnkey solutions from Mazak India like installation, engineering, tools, supplies, and fixtures as per requirements of our customers. Our technology centers in India and other parts of the world are dedicated to helping customers find the right system that can resolve their problems. One of our key features in our machines is mostly equipped with Integral spindle motors with mazatrol controllers for the quick setting / programming, which is very well needed for today’s operating environment, which results in consistent performance with faster ROI.
TPI: What are the recent developments and future plans at your company?
JJ: Mazak is all equipped and ready to uphold the shift into Industry 4.0. The era is stylized for automation with American standards and expectations taking over the market. Nowadays, not only a few parts but the whole system could be automated for speedy results. We provide one-stop multitasking automated solutions, which are powered with advanced programming languages for better accuracy. We offer solutions to our customers in varying forms such as gantry systems, robotized systems, automated palletech lines & etc. & sooner we will be having a manufacturing facility in India & I’m sure it will be much more cost effective & ensure faster delivery for our customers with international standards.
TPI: Please shed light on your market footprint and clientele. Also about the expansion plans.
JJ: Due to the company’s ethical policies I cannot name any specific clientele. However, I can assure you that in UAE you can find at least one Mazak installation in all the organizations which are involved in manufacturing. We have made a major mark in the oil and gas sector. The sector is a booming industry in the UAE region and is also our major customer. However, not the only one. As I already mentioned, Mazak has a wide and varied consumer base. Today, here at Steelfab Sharjah, I see a demand for advanced and automated technological setups that can provide one-stop solutions for multiple functions. Yamazaki Mazak is here to offer the same.
TPI: Based on your experience, how do you see the market evolving for the sector?
JJ: In my observation and experience the tubes and pipes industry has a lot of growth scope. It is already a big market but as the times advance the customer needs and industry challenges are changing. For example, right now the industry needs to address two important challenges. The first is the efficiency of the machinery, that is how fast it performs. Even in this exhibition, I have observed that the customers want to see their investment deliver results. They ask about the performance and functions first and then the price. They are ready to make considerable monetary investments as long as they get transformed system solutions. The concerns today are the speed of the system, output quantity and quality, lesser breakdown, and superior technology. The second challenge for the industry is to cut down the raw material cost.
Also Read: S.F.E. Group: Comprehensive Solutions to Tubes & Pipes Industry
TPI: What is your technology and business roadmap for the future?
JJ: Yamazaki Mazak’s strength is in our solutions and products for our customers. We understand the requirements of our customers and provide them with satisfying products and services. Mazak is in step with the times and provides advanced centralized controlling systems. We use the Mazatrol programming language to build these systems. The language is simple and isolated enough that our customers need not go into the depth of design and drawing of the whole machinery in case of any part breakdown. Secondly, we address the follow-up problem of our customers, which is the machine operation. While superior technology means good results, properly trained personnel are also required to operate them. At our facility, we have a training center where we train the operators in the right manner. Moreover, we go a step ahead through on-field follow-up training after the installation of the machinery. Our final aim is to provide high-performing models which generate quick ROI for our customers.
TPI: Please express your thoughts in regard to the Indian market.
JJ: We have certain plans for the Indian market as it is a huge market for us, right after Europe. It is also growing at a fast pace. In all the years of our operation, Yamazaki Mazak has worked on different types of machinery and systems, such as Indian, European, Indonesian, Taiwanese, American, etc. Our experience, Japanese technology, and customer-centric solutions make us one of the best service providers for manufacturing organizations. India is one of our five major markets in the world. Our technology center in Pune features the best and the latest advancements of Mazak Group. It showcases Multitasking Machines, Horizontal and Vertical Machining Centers, Lathes and Laser Cutting Machines, and all the newly built advances. Additionally, Mazak India is our central location for Spare Parts, Spindle repair facility, training centers, and online and telephone customer support. We are one of the key players in the Indian market and have plans to grow and cement our position.
